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DUE to the COVID-19 pandemic FAMILY NEWSThis bulletin is distributed in a variety of different ways. It is distributed during our worship services at the church building; it is made available on the web at our dowagiaccoc.org website; and it is sent by e-mail/messaging in connection with our Zoom broadcast invitations. However you receive it, we hope it will be informative and encouraging. We are not a denomination, but a local effort to encourage people to follow what the church was like in the first century. We have no man-made creed and only follow the Bible. We do not have religious titles and do not solicit donations. Come and learn more by visiting with us, e-mailing us, or calling us. READ YOUR PRAYER LIST! There have been a lot of things going on recently among our family. POWER FOR TODAY for April, May, and June is available at the church building. BESIDES OUR MEETINGS IN THE BUILDING we have these meetings on Zoom:
Contact Karl Marcussen (574-514-1400) for Zoom information on any of these. ON YOUR CALENDAR: The food bank truck will be coming to our building April 27 at 4:00 P.M. and again Sept. 28. We will also be doing our first highway cleanup soon, so plan to be a part of that as well.
TODAY'S LESSON
I. INTRODUCTION — HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS? — John 4:20-24
A. Read God's Word — Do not create God in our image.
II. VAIN WORSHIP — Matthew 15:1-9
B. Greek word for worship — “kiss the hand towards” Homage, adoration, reverence
C. The Bible describes 5 kinds of worship. A. Matthew 15:8 is a quote of Isaiah.
III. IGNORANT WORSHIP — Acts 17:23
B. Romans 8:16 — having God's heart C. Everything we do should be explained biblically. A. Do we understand what we do and why we do it?
IV. PERVERTED WORSHIP — Romas 1:21-25
1. The purpose of baptism
B. Ignorance is no excuse — Romans 1:20.2. There is no such thing as “God's house.” C. 2 Peter 3:5 — Can we be willingly ignorant? A. Worshiping nature in place of worshiping God.
V. WILL WORSHIP — Colossians 2:20-23
B. Worshiping the achievements of man — humanism Professional sports, seeing sites
C. Worshiping the body — fitness, beauty
Pornography, sensual movies, nightclubs
A. Asceticism — the opposite of worshiping the body
VI. TRUE WORSHIP — John 4:23
Destructive fasting, isolation
B. Self designed worship — setting up your own rules
Always incredibly complex
A. The proper object — God; not anything else
VII. WORSHIP IS NOT A MYSTIC EXPERIENCE FOR THE RICH. See THE BACK PAGE below.B. 1 Corinthians 14:15 — Do it with understanding! Tongue speaking is the subject in this verse.
C. Know why we are doing what we do.
Be 100% involved — read the passages, think about the message in the songs.
(John referred to our concluding song: “All to Jesus I Surrender.”)
THE BACK PAGEWORSHIPPerhaps one of the most misunderstood concepts in religion is the subject of worship. In general, most people both in and out of the church do not understand why we worship and what we are to do during worship. It is important that worship is not done to benefit God. The notion of “pleasing God in our worship” seems to imply to a lot of us that God needs to be entertained or have his ego salved in some way. What God has told us to do in worship is 100% to benefit us, and that means all of us. Our worship needs to be simple, participatory, nonpolitical, and heart felt. What did the first century church do? They greeted each other with whatever greeting was a part of the culture in which they lived. The “holy kiss” was not a kiss on the lips but involved an embrace and a kiss on the cheek. In our culture a hug and/or a handshake serves the same purpose (Romans 16:16). As you read Paul's letters to the congregations and as you read Acts 2:41-47, what do you see the early Christians doing under the leadership and supervision of the apostles? They sang together, which in their day was not four-part harmony or solo singing. The advantage of reciting in unison in one tone the psalms they all knew meant they did not need song books and everyone could be a part of it, whether they could carry a tune in a bucket or not. In addition they studied together and shared messages. They prayed together and all participated in a communion service. Giving was a part of their worship and everyone participated in one way or another. A part of their worship and their religion was serving. James 1:27 talks about “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep … unspotted from the world.” Let us strive to continue to do things as God tells us to do them and let us know why we do what we do. — John Clayton Our sign by the street! Sign saying from www.sayingsforchurchsigns.com. Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website. www.dowagiaccoc.org |
